Checklist For Cloud Pentesting

DETROIT – Cloud pentesting is the process of testing a cloud service for vulnerabilities. A pentester can do this by scanning, gathering information about or breaching the target. The goal is to find any security holes before an attacker does and mitigate them so that your data remains safe. This blog post discusses types of cloud pentesting, the advantages and disadvantages of each type, as well as how to best prepare for these tests in advance so you are prepared when it comes time to hire someone!

Different Types of Cloud Pentesting

In cloud pentesting, there are three different types of testing:

Passive Testing – In this type, the tester will not touch any part of the target’s systems. They simply gather information from outside sources and look for security flaws in their documents or other public facing files that they may have exposed. This is a good place to start if you want to do your own pentesting and will help you get a better understanding of where the issues might be.
Active Testing – In this type, the tester has more freedom with what they can touch on your system or network. They still won’t actually hack anything but may open ports, install software, and test for vulnerabilities. This is a good place to start if you want someone to do your pentesting for you and get an idea of what the scope will be like before hiring them, but it may not give you as accurate results because there are more variables that can come into play with this type of testing than in passive testing.
Penetration Testing – In this type, the tester is authorized to hack into the target’s systems. They will attempt to find and exploit any vulnerabilities they can in order to gain access. This is the most comprehensive form of testing and should only be done if you have already completed active and passive testing and know that there are still issues that need to be addressed.

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Advantages of Cloud Pentesting

You can find vulnerabilities before they are exploited by attackers – This is one of the most important advantages of cloud pentesting. By finding and fixing vulnerabilities, you can prevent the compromising or stealing of your data.
It’s cost-effective – Compared to on-premise pentesting, cloud pen-testing is much more affordable. This is because you only pay for the resources that you use and don’t have to worry about setting up or maintaining any infrastructure yourself.
You can test in a safe environment – With pentesting cloud, testers can safely execute attacks without putting your live systems at risk. This allows you to test without worrying about the impact on your business.
You can easily scale up or down – This is especially useful if you are working with a pentester who isn’t familiar with your network and needs to gather more information before they begin active testing. Rather than wasting time setting up equipment, hiring someone new, etc., you can simply increase or decrease the number of resources you are using at any given time.

Disadvantages of Cloud Pentesting

You may not get accurate results – As mentioned earlier, the results of a cloud pentest depend on a lot of factors. However, you may not get the same results from one tester to another.
Testers may have limited access – Because testers are working in a cloud environment, they may not have the same level of access to systems and data that they would if they were on-premise. This can make exploiting vulnerabilities difficult.
There is an increased risk of data leakage – Because testers work in a shared environment, there is always the risk of data leakage. They will have access to your private information and if they are not careful about what they touch or how they handle it, it could fall into the wrong hands.
There may be increased costs – If you need testers with certain certifications or who have specific experience, you may end up spending more money than if you were to go on-site.

This checklist will help you to determine if cloud pentesting is right for your organization and what you need to consider before getting started.

Does your organization have a policy on cloud security?
What kind of data needs protection?
Do you have the resources (time, money, personnel) to complete a cloud pentest?
What is the goal of the pentest (find vulnerabilities, assess security posture, compliance testing, VAPT, etc.)?
What type of pentester do you need (ethical hacker, vulnerability scanner, penetration tester)?
Will you share your data with a third party?
Do you understand the risks involved with cloud pentesting?
Do your employees use any of the required systems or resources on a regular basis (email, file servers, web browsers)?

These are some of the questions to keep in mind when carrying out a cloud pentest. Keeping these questions in mind help you frame the pentest for assessing your cloud security.

Conclusion

We hope this article has shed light on the benefits and drawbacks of cloud pentests. Now that you know how they work, what are your next steps? If there’s any doubt in your mind about whether or not to invest time into a cloud pentest for your business, it may be worth taking some time to think through all the pros and cons before making an informed decision. There is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to figuring out which security measures will make sense for your needs, so we encourage you to find the best solution for your needs!

Saumick Basu is a Technical Writer at Astra Security. He loves to write about technology and has deep interest in its evolution. Having written about spearheading disruptive technology like AI, and Machine Learning, and code reviews for a while, Information Security is his newfound love. He’s ready to bring you along as he dives deeper.